Blogs

What is the future of GCSE assessment?

How utilising multiple modes of assessment at GCSE would allow all students to demonstrate their strengths and reduce stress

Anisa Farook Student at Northampton School for Girls

June 11, 2021

Student Anisa gives an overview of her EPQ research which looked to analyse different methods for improving assessment...

Rethinking recruitment - how holistic and attributes based assessment leads to better outcomes for business

A case study from Mishcon de Reya LLP

Patrick Connolly Academy Director for Mishcon de Reya LLP

June 8, 2021

We believe that going beyond the traditional approach of CV and grade-based recruitment leads to a better long-term outcome for the firm and the candidate...

Open book exams: open season for cheaters or a better form of assessment?

How the pivot to online testing has encouraged exam designers to think more about how exams support student learning

Dr Gwyneth Hughes Reader in Higher Education, UCL Institute of Education

May 28, 2021

The University of London, as well as many other Universities, have trialled open book exams during the Covid-19 pandemic - an assessment innovation that looks like it is here to stay...

For (doing) goodness’ sake, please rethink GCSEs!

How a flexible, local curriculum and interdisciplinary learning could raise academic results, improve society and help young people

Issy Activist & student at Bohunt Sixth Form

Phil Avery Direction of Education, Bohunt Education Trust

May 20, 2021

In this piece, Issy drawns on her personal experience and growing identity as an activist to reflect on how she wished she had been taught societal issues at a younger age and given the opportunity to apply her learning...

Improving Mathematics engagement through problem solving

We need to move to a problem centered and interdisciplinary teaching philosophy to engage all learners in the joy of Maths

David Vaccaro Director of Learning & Innovation, Wycombe Abbey School

May 14, 2021

Real Mathematics is social and interdisciplinary - only in schools is the benchmark of mathematical competence measured by what people can do on their own and in silence, separated from books and technology ...

Our education system is too narrow and doesn't give young people the skills they need for work and life

A knowledge-rich curriculum with a narrow focus on traditional subjects, and a tired system of assessment, can only get us so far. We must change what, and how, we teach our children.

Robert Halfon MP Chair, Education Select Committee

May 14, 2021

In this guest post Robert Halfon MP argues that we need a new Baccalaureate style qualification at the end of compulsory education, and a curriculum with greater emphasis on interdisciplinary and applied learning...

Assessing the impact of oracy on your students

Four reasons you might want to asses oracy - and how to do it

Amanda Moorghen Impact and Research Lead, Voice 21

April 29, 2021

How can we assess oracy? This blog outlines four reasons why you might want to assess oracy, and those methods that balance practicality, validity and reliability to do so...

Learning from “special” education

In order to achieve better outcomes, we might want to start with assessing needs

Chris Lore Sunfield School (Ruskin Mill Trust)

April 26, 2021

When thinking about assessment, it can be easy to focus too much on the intended outcomes of learning and too little on how each learner’s particular needs are accounted for in their experience of education...

Assessment Thinking: Two new reports

Contributions exploring the future of assessment

Tom Sherrington Educator

April 19, 2021

In this post Tom gives his thoughts and reflections on two new assessment reports, from EDSK and Rethinking Assessment...

It’s time to rethink assessment

It’s no longer enough for students to emerge from their formal schooling with a few grades or marks - we owe it to them to give a much more nuanced picture of what they can do

Bill Lucas Co-Founder, Rethinking Assessment

April 15, 2021

Drawing on evidence from across the world, we show how high-stakes assessment is harming students and increasingly ignored by key stakeholders. We need to remind ourselves what matters in education....

If we are to rethink assessment, we also need to rethink the society that education prepares us for

How the exam system reinforces inequalities inherent in the values system of our country

Sammy Wright Vice Principal at Southmoor Academy in Sunderland, Lead for Schools & HE at the Social Mobility Commission

April 2, 2021

One of the biggest, and most rarely stated problems we face as an education establishment and as a country, is the mismatch between what we promise young people and what we offer them...

Moving beyond grades will be key to rethinking assessment

How de-linking scales across domains would end the experience of one-big-competition

Amelia Peterson LSE & London Interdisciplinary School

April 2, 2021

We could have fairer selection processes through assessment and more effective accountability if we get rid of linked scales such as grades, or percentages as our way of reporting assessment outcomes...

How utilising multiple modes of assessment at GCSE would allow all students to demonstrate their strengths and reduce stress

Anisa Farook Student at Northampton School for Girls

Student Anisa gives an overview of her EPQ research which looked to analyse different methods for improving assessment...

A case study from Mishcon de Reya LLP

Patrick Connolly Academy Director for Mishcon de Reya LLP

We believe that going beyond the traditional approach of CV and grade-based recruitment leads to a better long-term outcome for the firm and the candidate...

How the pivot to online testing has encouraged exam designers to think more about how exams support student learning

Dr Gwyneth Hughes Reader in Higher Education, UCL Institute of Education

The University of London, as well as many other Universities, have trialled open book exams during the Covid-19 pandemic - an assessment innovation that looks like it is here to stay...

How a flexible, local curriculum and interdisciplinary learning could raise academic results, improve society and help young people

Issy Activist & student at Bohunt Sixth Form

Phil Avery Direction of Education, Bohunt Education Trust

In this piece, Issy drawns on her personal experience and growing identity as an activist to reflect on how she wished she had been taught societal issues at a younger age and given the opportunity to apply her learning...

We need to move to a problem centered and interdisciplinary teaching philosophy to engage all learners in the joy of Maths

David Vaccaro Director of Learning & Innovation, Wycombe Abbey School

Real Mathematics is social and interdisciplinary - only in schools is the benchmark of mathematical competence measured by what people can do on their own and in silence, separated from books and technology ...

A knowledge-rich curriculum with a narrow focus on traditional subjects, and a tired system of assessment, can only get us so far. We must change what, and how, we teach our children.

Robert Halfon MP Chair, Education Select Committee

In this guest post Robert Halfon MP argues that we need a new Baccalaureate style qualification at the end of compulsory education, and a curriculum with greater emphasis on interdisciplinary and applied learning...

Four reasons you might want to asses oracy - and how to do it

Amanda Moorghen Impact and Research Lead, Voice 21

How can we assess oracy? This blog outlines four reasons why you might want to assess oracy, and those methods that balance practicality, validity and reliability to do so...

In order to achieve better outcomes, we might want to start with assessing needs

Chris Lore Sunfield School (Ruskin Mill Trust)

When thinking about assessment, it can be easy to focus too much on the intended outcomes of learning and too little on how each learner’s particular needs are accounted for in their experience of education...

Contributions exploring the future of assessment

Tom Sherrington Educator

In this post Tom gives his thoughts and reflections on two new assessment reports, from EDSK and Rethinking Assessment...

It’s no longer enough for students to emerge from their formal schooling with a few grades or marks - we owe it to them to give a much more nuanced picture of what they can do

Bill Lucas Co-Founder, Rethinking Assessment

Drawing on evidence from across the world, we show how high-stakes assessment is harming students and increasingly ignored by key stakeholders. We need to remind ourselves what matters in education....

How the exam system reinforces inequalities inherent in the values system of our country

Sammy Wright Vice Principal at Southmoor Academy in Sunderland, Lead for Schools & HE at the Social Mobility Commission

One of the biggest, and most rarely stated problems we face as an education establishment and as a country, is the mismatch between what we promise young people and what we offer them...

How de-linking scales across domains would end the experience of one-big-competition

Amelia Peterson LSE & London Interdisciplinary School

We could have fairer selection processes through assessment and more effective accountability if we get rid of linked scales such as grades, or percentages as our way of reporting assessment outcomes...

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